Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-12-29
FOR THE FARMER.
An Exclusive Corn Diet Unfayorable TO
the Health aud Vitality OF Hogs.
Linseed and Cotton-seed Meal.-Farmer,s
Encampments and their Benefits.
VARIETY OF FooD For uocs

| VARIETY OF FOOD FOR HOGS
| The raw corn fed out on the ear is the
cheapest material that can be used fo,
making pork in the western states ap.
pears To be demonstrated beyond n
doubt. Several farmers i'm central
Illinois have reported that they are
able to make n pound of pork from ten
pounds of corn, or six pounds from
every bushel fed to their hogs. II
they raise 40 bushels of corn on an
acre OF land they obtain APO pounds of
pork, worth at . cents per pound $2l.
This is more than can be realized for
any kind of small grain. The fertility
OF the soil is soon exhausted when sue
cessiye crops of small grain are raised
on 1t. Such is not the case, however
II corn is raised. fed to hogs on the
place, and the manure they make ap-
piled to the land. A crop of corn can
be raised and harvested without the
necessity of paying out much money.
The seed costs but triile, and there
is no bill for the use of harvester or
thrashing-maahine. A corn cron
can be produced by the use of the
labor and implement that almost every
farmer has. Pork can be sent to
market much cheaper than small
grain.
A prairie farm chiefly devoted to
raising corn and feeding it to hogs is
very cheaply fitted up, stocked and
managed. 1t costs but little to make
shelter for hogs that will keep them
dry and warm. A fair crop of corn
can be raised on new breaking. Old
ground intended for producing corn
can be plowed in the fall or the fol-
lowing spring. Almost any kind of
manure is beneficial to corn crop.
The planting of corn can be DELAYED
much longer than the sowing of small
grains. The work of cultivation can
be performed by variety Of imple-
ments. Hands that are less skillful
than those required to raise many
crops can plant, cultivate, and harvest
corn. But few fences are required on
Il farm devoted to raising corn and
feeding hogs. Hogs multiply SO
rapidly and mature 50 quickly that it
does not take long time To- stock a
farm with them or to realize money
from them. In these respects they
possess a great advantages over cattle
and horses. A farmer who has but
small means can not engage in most
kinds of stOck-raising, but he can
raise hogs by producing the corn for
feeding TO them.
Still it has become obvious that
raising hogs on 4 diet of corn has been
productive funfayorable results. An
exclusive corn diet does not produce
the requisite proportions of bone and
muscle i'll animals. 1t contains too
much carbon and not enough nitrogen.
Breeding-sows that eat little or moth
ing except corn are poor mothers.
They generally produce but small lit
tiers of pigs, and they give but little
milk. Pigs brought up on corn alone
appear to have but little vitality. They
are not rs lively Us those that enjoy
the privileges of u free range and eat
a variety of food. They appear to be
more likely to contract disease. The
hog has become more delicate since il
was kept i'll pens and has corn brought
to his trough. During the past few
years diseases have been more common
and more generally fatal among hogs
than among horses, cattle. or sheep.
On this account many farmers have
abandoned pOrk-raising or keep only
enough hogs to supply their house
holds with meat They 90 not dare,
take the risks that attend Keeping
large numbers of hogs and feeding
them the corn they raise
The most successful hOg-lt sers now
advocate substitution of other grains,
fruits. and vegetables for half the
corn they formed fed, ana they RELY
chiefly on cor ior making fat. but
hey give the hogs bran. shorts,
ground rye, oats. and barley. boiled
potatoes. roots. apples, and pumpkins
'F Squashes. They ind the health and
general condition Of their hogs better
when they are allowed change OF
food. They are better breeders. and
the sows give more milk. The pork
produced is not rs fat as that made \
from corn, but it is generally
preferred. There is less leaf lard, but (
more meat that is suitable for making
bacon. The hogs are more active and
AXE more exercise For this reaso.
heir circulation and digestion are
setter. If they do not mature rs
quickly, the risks Of keeping them are i
ess. II is admitted that tie cost OF \
eeding them is somewhat greater rs
t costs considerable to grind the h
small grains, and to cook the potatoe, /
ind other vegetables. A more diver
'liied system of farming is required II I
many hogs are kept on place, ana !
.orn only furnishes half the food thai, [
5 given them.
Ii is obvious that some substitute for i
,orn must be found in many portions /
If the country that are now being set I
led up. Much of the territory adapt 4
ID to the profitable production of 4
corn is already in the hands of indivi- Z
luals who have improved it. What is /
Known as the '.corn belt is somewhat. /
narrow, and it does not reach nearly I
tcross the continent. There are cN- /!
ensive regions IN the district north /
md west that are well adapted to |
'arious kinds of products, but in which /
title or no corn can be raised The |
who make homes in these
egions will find il difficult to get
long without raising hogs. They will /
{ first miss corn, but they will mt /
CiAlil uiStONti litstt liitN tttll ildht lilt
production of pork profitable without
t. They will follow the example of
lrmers in Canada. Great Britain. and
iermany. who make pork by raising
We. barley. oats. potatoes, and roots
nd feeding them to hogs. Should Il
-encral drought continue many more
ears in portions of the corn belt,
he farmers who live in it will be
bliged TO give up keeping hogs on an
Intensive scale or to find II kind of
ood for them different from what they
ave been accustomed to use
hicago Times.
LINsEED AND COTTON SEED MEAL.
Cotton seed meal. when used in
MODERATION. is very useful food for
airy cows 1t is the reverse of laxa-
i've, and tends rather to costiveness.
his, however, gives it an especial
alue when COWS are upon grass, or
then it is mixed with bran. When il
Yas first introduced in the Northern
tates as a food for COWS. twelve wears
l. more ago, il was sold at eighteen
ollars per ton. and was an exceeding
! cheap food. Since then it has be-
ONE widely popular, and has advanced
q value fifty per cent Still, for the
nti.ipapt contained in ~ - :. rot |